I was wondering, just wondering, randomly mulling over some specific old football themes, and I ended up thinking that three of the best players of the 1930s — Alex James, Giuseppe Meazza and Matthias Sindelar — could eventually play together on some team in an organized and tactically appropriate manner. I would play the three in 'W', as I believe that the then new offensive formation would be the best to accommodate the three players. James reached the peak of his performances playing in such a way, Meazza was often the best inside right playing in 'W' and Sindelar has excellent performances in his career playing in that system. As much as the 'W' system was adopted, of course, it would not be a rigid formation, in the same way that many teams did not follow such rigidity.

Sindelar

A. James               Meazza

*   *   *
                         ⇡
                        Meazza
Sindelar ✳                 ⇣              

⇠ A. James ⇢
⇣

Alex James — Like Friedrich Gschweidl — was the main playermaker of the teams which he played. Whenever he had the ball, Alex James would stay behind the other four forwards, and organized their plays — that was very common at Arsenal. However, with Matthias Sindelar as a centre-forward, he would work exactly the same as Gschweidl in his role. As Matthias Sindelar said many times, Gschweidl was the schemer of the Wunderteam; therefore, Sindelar had the role of attracting the opponent's centre-half or full-back, and play the wingers. In moments of counter-attack, James would play the role of taking the ball from the defensive system to the opponent's closest blocks.

Sindelar, in turn, would be the tactical axis of connection between the offensive sides. As much as Sindelar had immense freedom to roam around the field, I would not want him to be as far behind as Alex James, but remaining more offensive, alongside Meazza, because the organization, the orchestra would be almost entirely carried out by the Scottish.

Meazza would be the incisive value, the executor of the team since, of the three, Meazza had the most repertoire of conclusion. As much as he played as an inside right in the Italian 'W', therefore showing a more creative aspect in his game, Meazza, in these conditions, due to his excellent goalscoring repertoire, would play the role of artilheiro for the inside trio. Through the precise and punctual passes of Sindelar and James, looking for speed, Meazza's explosion, the team would find several goals through infiltration. Meazza, moreover, had an exceptional aerial game, being quite dangerous for the opposing defensive system.

I can see Meazza playing perfectly well alongside Sindelar, as Meazza stood out very well when Bernardini, a player focused on tactical and technical awareness, was the centre-forward for Ambrosiana. I, moreover, not only see the three allocable in a standard tactical organization, but performing perfectly well with their characteristics being complemented by the football of each. Interesting inside trio indeed.